Two-Year Investigation Leads to Super Bowl Party Raid

Posted on: February 12, 2013, 07:53h.

Last updated on: February 15, 2013, 02:31h.

A total sum of $2.5 million in hard cash was recently seized in a Supper Bowl party raid in the Greater Toronto Area and London, Ontario, after Canadian police arrested Hells Angels member William Miller, along with five other individuals, for connection with an online sports betting operation following a two-year investigation.

The illegal organisation was a credit betting shop which had been in operation for almost ten years, and used a website to place illegal wagers whilst all hard money handling was carried out in person in the Greater Toronto Area.

The Super Bow party raid saw the individuals were arrested at a banquet hall in Markham , Ontario , and now face charges of bookmaking, participating in or contributing to an activity of a criminal organisation, keeping a common betting house and conspiracy. Officers interrupted the festivities of a Super Bowl party, allegedly thrown by organised crime groups attended by around 2,300 people, in order to make the arrests during the second quarter of the game.

The long preceding investigation was carried out by the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, which includes the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial Police, and a number of local police departments also.

After obtaining a Canadian court order under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between Canada and America, Police also seized the Washington-registered web domain PatinumSB.com, on which onlookers now see a Royal Canadian Mounted Police seizure notice, much like many domains which have been seized by US law enforcement.

The web domain itself was based in Costa Rica, but was registered via Washington-based Enom Inc, as America is home to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers which supervises all .com domains. Officials involved in the investigation have stated that those administering the domain or housing the server name have done nothing wrong, and have in fact cooperated at every stage of the investigation.

20 computers were also seized at the event under suspicion that these had been in place to enable those attending the Super Bowl party to place wagers on the game, despite some partygoers stating that they saw no gambling taking place.